How Container Gardening Has Transformed My My Life

How Container Gardening Has Transformed My My Life

During the lockdown, like many of you, I found myself with more time on my hands and a desire to be more self-sufficient. As an epicurean home cook with a love for Caribbean cuisine, I saw an opportunity to not only reduce my food budget 

Friday Night Buffet at the Hyatt Trinidad: Feast Without Breaking The Bank!

The Friday Night Buffet has returned to the Hyatt Trinidad! Cost is $325TT per person (exc. vat & service charge). For reservations call 821-6550.

Coconut Bake (recipe)

I’m not gonna lie to you. When I logged in to update this post I did a double take when I saw it had last been updated in 2010, then I teared up when I saw it was originally written in 2008. Twelve years ago… 

Punch de Creme (recipe)

Punch de Creme, is another of Trinidad’s traditional Christmas drinks. One thing that I really like about punch de creme (as opposed to traditional eggnog) is the use of citrus flavors like lime and Angostura bitters (which has orange extract). This gives the ‘nog’ a 

Trinidad Paime (recipe)

As promised, here is a recipe for Paime (pron. PAY-me)! Paime is basically a sweet version of the savoury pastelle. I only recently discovered that Paime is also a traditional Xmas dish. Well that explains why it seemed I never could find it lol! No 

Trinidad Pastelles (recipe) now with Delicious Vegan Option!

One of Trinidad’s seasonal delights, pastelles are a steamed cornmeal pie wrapped in banana leaves and filled with stewed meat, olives, and raisins. I’ve been told that they are very similar to Latin American tamales, and indeed Venezualan foodblogger Tomasnomas has a link to the 

Sorrel Drink (recipe & video)

Christmas in Trinidad is a diverse multicultural affair. Not just for the Christian population, but also through the secular participation of the nation at large through the enjoyment of our local christmas songs (called parang) and especially the creation and consumption of our traditional Christmas 

Trinidad Black Cake (recipe)

Like sorrel, Black Cake in Trinidad is a Christmas institution. Made predominantly of alcohol drenched prunes, currants and raisins, variations abound (and I love taste testing when we make the visiting rounds). Still, the best black cake is always the recipe that one grew up 

In Trinidad, Christmas is Parang! (video & holiday recipe roundup)

What is Parang? Well Parang is the soundtrack to Christmas here in Trinidad. More than that however Parang is also a culture, a way of life that sweeps through my island after the lights of Eid and Divali have been put away. The What is 

Trinidad and Tobago Carnival: Part 7 – Carnival Bands

  I was talking to a Brazilian friend a few years ago and she was surprised at some of the differences between our Carnival and theirs. You see it was a few weeks prior when she decided to look and see what costume/band she should 

Trinidad and Tobago Carnival: Part 6 – J’Ouvert & Ole Time Mas

Trinidad and Tobago Carnival: Part 6 – J’Ouvert & Ole Time Mas

  J’ouvert (joo-VAY) is the start to the Carnival celebrations. It begins in the pre-dawn hours of Carnival Monday and lasts until daybreak. J’ouvert (which is a Creole corruption of the French Jour Ouvert – day opening) is also known as ‘dirty mas’. It seems 

Trinidad and Tobago Carnival: Part 5 – Dimanche Gras

Trinidad and Tobago Carnival: Part 5 – Dimanche Gras

Dimanche Gras takes place on the Sunday night before Ash Wednesday. Here the Calypso Monarch is chosen (after competition) and prize money and a vehicle bestowed. Also the King and Queen of the bands are crowned, where each band to parade costumes for the next 

Trinidad and Tobago Carnival: Part 4 – Fetes!

If you are getting the sense that Carnival is one big long party you are right! So it only makes sense that one big long party would be made of many many big long parties as well. These parties in Trinidad are called fetes and 

Trinidad and Tobago Carnival: Part 3 – Steelbands and Panorama

Trinidad and Tobago Carnival: Part 3 – Steelbands and Panorama

It seems that every time a North American program wants to denote the ‘tropics’ you will hear the sound of a steelpan. It doesn’t even to seem to matter if the ‘tropics’ are in the Caribbean on a cruise ship or in Hawaii! If you